TIME FOR TEA

Well, what a day you've picked to drop by! Not only is it pouring with rain, but I am in the process of having my Sitting Room painted....

complete with scaffolding! There are boxes and 'things' lying in every nook and cranny around the house, but fortunately there a couple of chairs in the Naya we can sit on, and I can squeeze past the scaffolding to get to the kitchen....it's a hot drink you'll be wanting today, so I'll get the kettle on.


While I'm doing that you can have a look at the Christmas Village...

It's tradition that I have the village in place in time for Kirsty's birthday (which is today...Happy Birthday my sweet!!), so I have just made it in time.

I've also just about finished the tree here in the naya too..just to find the topper, but that will be once I can get back into the cupboard!

Well, I have managed to get past the scaffolding, so let's have this cuppa before it gets cold. Fortunately I bought some mince pies to freeze at our XMAS Bazaar last weekend, so we can have one a couple of those each.

How are your Christmas plans going? If you've visited me before, you will know that Christmas and all it entails are a huge thing with me, so you can hear Michael Buble singing about a White Christmas on the background.

 I 'm very excited, because I'm having my very first Christmas Ornament Swap on Friday...I'm also hoping I can get the house back together and decorated by then!! No-one here has heard of an Ornament Swap but thanks to Blogland I have, and everyone is looking forward to it.

After Friday, my next project will be to turn my newly acquisitioned Craft Room back into a guest bedroom(!) as mum and dad are coming over for Christmas. You can't believe how excited they are...dad (and ourselves) never thought he would ever have another visit here! There are lots of things to be put into place from a medical and practical point of view, but it will all be worth it, of that I have no doubt.

I don't know about you, but I have so enjoyed my trips around blogland, having whatever beverage was on offer ...a huge THANK YOU must go to ABI whose idea this brilliant meme was. Due to her workload  at Uni this year , she is calling a halt to TFT but you know you are more then welcome to drop in here at any time...and I have no doubt that come the New Year another meme will bring us all together!

Now grab  that umbrella and get out to the car while that rain has subsided a little bit.....safe travels!

Thanks for dropping by!
Take care of you
Alison xx 

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TIME FOR TEA?.....

....though to be honest, if you were dropping in at this exact moment I think you might prefer some cold water or a glass of Sangria!......it's very hot out there!! Hence the reason we would sit in the Naya ( covered sun terrace) with all the doors open, allowing the breeze to flow through...and not outside!!

You've just caught me reading the June/July copy of SCRAP 365 magazine, which I discovered yesterday that you could download (and have a subscription to!) on an App called POCKETMAGS... You have no idea how excited I am by this!!

You haven't found me at my most awake...a mixture of the heat, a restless night (again due to the heat) and being up early to take Craig to the airport.

Yes thanks, we had a very nice (and productive ) weekend.....though it should have been more than that! Unfortunately, due to the French Air Traffic Controllers' strike earlier in the week (isn't it just as well you didn't try to get here earlier in the week!!)he arrived on Thursday instead of on Tuesday, but we made the most of the time he was here......one of the most exciting things that happened being that we went out and bought a new dishwasher.....which was delivered and installed that same afternoon!


Kirsty is still here, but is off to visit one her friends in Morocco on Tuesday.....another airport run!

Did you pass the village as you came in?.....did you notice the lights hanging through the Main Street? It's been summer Fiesta this past week, so there's been lots going on.

As you can imagine, the Church plays a huge part in our Fiestas, with young and old turning out in their best outfits and attending Mass at all hours of the day and night.

Kirsty and I went down to the village with some friends on Wednesday evening ( Craig should have been with us, but you've heard that story!!) when one of the main processions was taking place

The procession starts with the children who have just had their First Communion, followed by the Statue of Christ

Then the local Brass Band....and finally the rest of the villagers...they march around the streets for half an hour or so, then return to the Church. After the final blessing, it's on to the serious business of eating, drinking, fireworks and dancing!.....given that the music and dancing doesn't start till after midnight, I have no photos to share with you!! .. I'm at home comforting a little dog throughout the noise!!

Have you been taking part in RINDA'S  SUMMER SCAVENGER HUNT?...I have managed to get a few more photos this week, but I'll keep them for a blogpost (I would let you have a peek while you're here though).

It's been lovely catching up again...wasn't it a great idea of ABI'S to gather us all together once a month for a cuppa/drink and a catch up?!....I'll be popping over to your place soon!

Thanks for dropping by!
Take care of you
Alison xx

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TIME FOR TEA

Joining in with ABI's monthly meme..to enjoy more virtual tea and a chat pop over HERE

Do come in..you've picked a beautiful afternoon to stop by...can I offer you tea, coffee or something a little stronger after travelling all this way?..I have a very nice bottle of Rosado open!

You must excuse the mess..I haven't quite got the place back to it's usual state after having had Kirsty and Imane here and then setting off for Scotland almost immediately.

Yes, dad WAS well thank you....he was exhausted by the end of the day, but happy! He really enjoys being surrounded by family and he was well surrounded on Sunday!

I am always happy to get home...even after such a short trip, and even though it's lovely to catch up with everyone.....and all the way home this time all I could think about was if the CHERRIES had survived!!

 I was SO pleased to get here and see this:

  

.....though on closer examination:

...the little blighters have found a way in to some of them!

However I am able to offer you;

...a bowl of cherries...the best crop so far..and quite delicious!

I don't mean to sound rude, but I am actually going out tonight, or it would be lovely to have you stay longer...but do bring me up to date with your own news before you leave.

Where am I going...oh sorry...didn't I say? We were approached a few weeks ago by some of the members of the AMAS DE CASA from our village (basically the Spanish equivalent of the WI) who were interested in having a language INTERCAMBIO once a week. The result is that six Spanish ladies and six British ladies get together for an hour (or so!)and speak to each other for half an hour in English and half an hour in Spanish....under the auspices of one of our JVH members who speaks fluent Spanish! 

It's been lovely to see you again...hopefully we'll catch up again soon!

Thanks for stopping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

TIME FOR TEA

It's that time of the month again.....time to spend a little time visiting Blogfriends (though not IRL this time)....co-ordinated by the lovely ABI over at CREATING PAPER DREAMS.
I'm so glad you've waited till today to pop in.....as you probably know, I've been travelling and you would have missed me if you'd come a day or two earlier!


Let me put the kettle on while you make yourself comfortable...it's a bit blowy outdoors even though the sun's shining, so I think the Naya's the best place to sit. I have some fruit loaf that I've taken out of the freezer...I do hope it's ok...it certainly was before it went IN.


I have just about got over my jet lag, which is pretty good for me...it usually lasts much longer travelling east....and yes, I had a great time thank you. It was so good meeting up with RINDA, DEB, CARRIE and DEBBIE...it's a great feeling talking to people who actually 'get' what blogging is all about and what I DO with all that paper! It's something I miss here...do you have the same problem where you live?


In the course of all that talking, I made the decision (finally!) to start Project Life...it's something I have been thinking about since it's launch. I've always talked myself out of it; not at all convinced that it was 'proper' scrapbooking, but after watching from the sidelines I think it may suit my lifestyle at the moment. I often find it difficult to find time to scrapbook, but I really want to keep those memories...so have decided to use PL as my main way of keeping them as they happen.....and when I have the time, I'll make scrapbook pages using all the older photographs still waiting to see the light of day!



So I bought an album....

.....and some (!) supplies and have made a start.....

I must confess to getting the photographs I wanted to use in the right orientations and sizes making my head hurt, but once that was done I enjoyed the process. Are you taking part in PL, or do you just watch from the sidelines, as I did?


Oh...I must tell you...I have received my first quilt block (as part of FIONA's FRIENDSHIP QUILT initiative) from lovely DEB (have you noticed there seem to be a lot of Deb's who blog?!)

Of course, she had also included a pretty tag and bookmark, which was very kind of her. I'm looking forward to receiving the others...but am wondering just how I'll ever manage to make a quilt with them!...do YOU sew, or are you a complete novice like me?

You might remember that I was a bit worried about going so far away when my dad hasn't been so well...the good news is that mum feels he has had a better week, so I'm pleased about that....I do hope your own family are well.

Well, I know you have a few more stops to make to catch up with people, so I'll let you go...do come back next time though; it's been a lovely catch up!

Thanks for dropping by!
Take care of you
Alison xx

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